Control Global

Embedded intelligence in field instruments isn't new, but more and better knowledge is getting captured in more sophisticated, easier-to-use and better-networked devices.

Maybe it's all those crystal-clear highballs and free-flowing beverages that make level measurement seem conceptually simple to uninformed observers. However, when they sober up and peer into pitch-black tanks and silos with internal structures, mixers and agitators that must handle viscous and volatile fluids, solids and slurries—not to mention the build-up, dust, vapor, foam and other conditions they generate—well, let's just say accurate level measurement in the real-world is a whole different ballgame.
These challenges have been met by generations of inventive operators, process engineers, system integrators and suppliers, who have developed an array of innovative techniques for precisely determining the level and volume of…

When implemented correctly, partial stroke tests enhance the final element (i.e., the valve)
by reducing its PFDavg contribution (50%) to the safety instrumented function.

Partial stroke testing (PST) is perhaps the most maligned and misunderstood proof testing in use today in the process industries. This is due to several reasons, mostly resulting from the misapplication of the testing protocol and the equipment being used to perform the testing. When implemented correctly, PST provides an enhancement to the final element (i.e., the valve) by reducing its PFDavg contribution (50%) to the safety instrumented function (SIF) (Figure 1). The sole purpose of the test is to confirm the valve’s ability to move (not stuck in place) and its suitability for continued SIF service. A PST is necessary because a functional test is the only practical way to determine if the valve is capable of moving to a different…

You may already have instruments you can use to cross-check critical measurements.

The level of hazardous waste in the tank was increasing steadily, but the truck to haul it away for processing wasn’t expected until after the long weekend. With demand for saleable product high, no one was inclined to cut production—but it…

The system was installed in the North Sea and will be used to improve understanding of the reservoir and to optimize future development planning of the field

International oilfield services company Expro, has accomplished the first proven wireless transmission of reservoir pressure data to surface, from a recently abandoned subsea appraisal well which incorporated a rock-to-rock cement plug.
The system…

The latest trends, technology and implementations are detailed in this new ebook from the editors of Control.

The latest trends, technology and implementations are detailed in this new ebook from the editors of Control.
Topics covered include:
Taming temperature and pressure
Secrets to good vessel temperature and pH control
Living on the edge with surge…

Q: We have weighing hoppers on three load cells (Figure 1). During charging, the vent valve is open and the pressure is atmospheric (zero). When filling is complete and the weight is registered, the vent valve is closed and we pressurize the hopper…

System integrator Hallam-ICS uses risk assessments, methodical attention to detail, process automation, IEC 61511-1 and other strategies to make sure its toxic gas monitoring systems (TGMS) are safe for its users.

Microprocessors may look like tiny, fragile bits of plastic and metal—at least until they power up and run software. However, they and their many layers, circuits, substrates and coatings are born in processes using severely toxic gases and…

The simple mathematics can be clarified with mechanical analogies and an example of level control.

It is important to understand what the proportional, integral and derivative terms do within the PID controller. That understanding is essential to choose appropriate action, troubleshoot controllers, choose appropriate modifications, or set up…

Since its invention, the DCS and its development have focused on increasing power and reducing cost. “Forty years of R&D in control systems has gone into the platform, not the function, but the value lies in the function,” said Peter Martin,…

Today's PLCs, PACs and PCs are well-networked and protected to perform anywhere.

IIOT-READY PLC/PA WITH MQTTEZRack PLC/PAC system with IIoT-ready CPU and MQTT protocol is Sparkplug B-enabled for connectivity to Ignition software platform. It can be programmed through its built-in Ethernet, USB, micro-USB and two serial ports. It supports EtherNet/IP, Modbus TCP/IP and RTU, EZRack TCP/IP and ASCII In/Out protocols. EZRack also has an external USB flash drive up to 64 GB, so its supported protocols can be used to connect to other PLCs, drives or any third-party devices for data exchange and I/O control.
EZAutomation770-889-2858
50 I/O MODULES FOR 400 I/O POINTSProductivity2000 is a modular, rack-based PLC system with a full line of discrete, analog and specialty I/O modules. It provides 50 discrete and analog I/O…

The cloud, IIoT, virtualization and other forces are reshaping supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) into new forms and functions, but can they do it securely?

If it had a face—and it sort of does—would you recognize supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) if you saw it on the street? Would SCADA even recognize itself in a mirror these days?
Chance are, probably not. This is because all the…

The latest trends, technology and implementations are detailed in this new eBook from the editors of Control.

The latest trends, technology and implementations are detailed in this new eBook from the editors of Control.
Topics covered include:
Pressure rising for open, secure systems
Exploring the love/hate relationship with distributed control
Making…

This State of Technology report brings together all of the latest and best articles on HMIs and industrial PCs,

This State of Technology report brings together all of the latest and best articles on HMIs and industrial PCs, and covers the latest trends, articles, back-to-basics tutorials, application stories and product solutions. Process automation…

Because fluids are universally heavy and process applications are usually in harsh, remote and/or weather-beaten settings, the motors and drives that serve them typically have a tougher time than their counterparts elsewhere—requiring them to be…

When implemented correctly, partial stroke tests enhance the final element (i.e., the valve)
by reducing its PFDavg contribution (50%) to the safety instrumented function.

Partial stroke testing (PST) is perhaps the most maligned and misunderstood proof testing in use today in the process industries. This is due to several reasons, mostly resulting from the misapplication of the testing protocol and the equipment being used to perform the testing. When implemented correctly, PST provides an enhancement to the final element (i.e., the valve) by reducing its PFDavg contribution (50%) to the safety instrumented function (SIF) (Figure 1). The sole purpose of the test is to confirm the valve’s ability to move (not stuck in place) and its suitability for continued SIF service. A PST is necessary because a functional test is the only practical way to determine if the valve is capable of moving to a different…

Tips and tricks to get valuable information out where it can so some good.

John Rezabek recently discussed how to make more effective use of the infrastructure we likely already have installed, and in particular the investment in positioners (“Can things of yore deliver gold?”). Here are some suggestions on how easy it…

Because fluids are universally heavy and process applications are usually in harsh, remote and/or weather-beaten settings, the motors and drives that serve them typically have a tougher time than their counterparts elsewhere—requiring them to be…

Process and equipment conditions change all the time, but the typical DCS operator interface (OI) display is painstakingly designed and scripted for one, predetermined set of operations. DeltaV Live by Emerson is engineered to break that paradigm by allowing users to easily change configurations with no scripting.
“In the past, DeltaV and other DCSs used graphic packages that are not really designed for the application, and so required extensive use of global variables and scripts,” says Cindy Scott, DeltaV product marketing director. “They took a specialist team to design, and were hard for the user to change. We’re putting the power back into the users’ hands.”
“DeltaV Live is a new kind of operator interface,” says…

Our process plants are not exempt from the forces of chaos, so when the caller ID indicates the plant, we might worry that it brings news of an unexpected trip or an injury to an employee or contractor.

A few years ago, my insurance man asked me, “You’re an engineer, aren’t you?” I was indeed, I said, and he went on to explain that I was eligible for a rate reduction, I just needed to fax him documentation of the degree I’d earned decades…

Our readers tell us who they think delivers the best technology in our industry

There's knowledge in our readers. That's why every year we ask our loyal audience to help us determine which automation service providers offer the best products and brands they can rely on to get the best combination of performance, ease of use,…

Part 1 discussed the OPAF's goals and the partnership between ExxonMobil Reasearch and Engineering Co. and Lockheed Martin
Innards of opennessTo accomplish its objectives and deliver its hoped-for benefits, the OPA standard will rely largely on its…

Barriers and isolators
The legendary ICEweb site's sub-section on "Intrinsic Safety, Barriers and Isolators" consists of a collection of links to other articles and resources. Topics include fundamentals, safe design and applications, IS…

Quick commissioning of preconfigured systems defers the need to learn new technology.

The tank farm was riddled with thermal relief safety valves—self-contained devices designed to ensure a blocked-in pipeline wouldn’t exceed its pressure rating due to thermal expansion. Most of them relieved to atmosphere, garnering the attention of the fugitive emissions-aware regulatory agency of the region. How could Sandra’s company assure the agency that these valves weren’t a continuous source of emissions?
Last month, we followed Sandra’s efforts to choose a network for a “pervasive networking” project. It seemed like fieldbus was easily the least expensive option for a temperature monitoring application, but she ran into resistance.
Maintenance didn’t possess a handheld licensed to connect to fieldbus segments, and…

Quick commissioning of preconfigured systems defers the need to learn new technology.

The tank farm was riddled with thermal relief safety valves—self-contained devices designed to ensure a blocked-in pipeline wouldn’t exceed its pressure rating due to thermal expansion. Most of them relieved to atmosphere, garnering the attention of the fugitive emissions-aware regulatory agency of the region. How could Sandra’s company assure the agency that these valves weren’t a continuous source of emissions?
Last month, we followed Sandra’s efforts to choose a network for a “pervasive networking” project. It seemed like fieldbus was easily the least expensive option for a temperature monitoring application, but she ran into resistance.
Maintenance didn’t possess a handheld licensed to connect to fieldbus segments, and…

Part 1 discussed the OPAF's goals and the partnership between ExxonMobil Reasearch and Engineering Co. and Lockheed Martin
Innards of opennessTo accomplish its objectives and deliver its hoped-for benefits, the OPA standard will rely largely on its…

Part 1 discussed the OPAF's goals and the partnership between ExxonMobil Reasearch and Engineering Co. and Lockheed Martin
Innards of opennessTo accomplish its objectives and deliver its hoped-for benefits, the OPA standard will rely largely on its…

Be just 33 seconds more productive each hour, and the savings mount quickly.

Rockwell Automation previewed its new, forward-looking App Platform for mobility at this week’s TechED conference in Orlando. While focused first on redefining smartphone use on the plant floor – with the aim of making individual workers more…

As a chemical engineer by training, one aspect of automation that I had to pick up post-graduation was a basic understanding of electrical engineering. Although it wasn't a natural fit for me (my alma mater makes Chem Es take an electrical…

The distributed control system (DCS) has been used since the mid 70s, while the programmable logic controller (PLC) is slightly older. Some early installations still use microprocessors that predate the original personal computers. The ARC Advisory Group, Dedham, Mass., estimates that more than $65 billion worth of DCS installations are approaching (and in many cases, exceeding) 20 years in service—and this doesn’t include other control platforms such as PLCs or supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) systems.
So, industry faces an enormous challenge in replacing these computer-based systems. And, of course, doing so poses a substantial challenge in justifying the investment, managing the risk, and executing the project with…

When you go digital/virtual, many things vanish, even if they're still running.

Most publications and even websites maintain a pretty tidy appearance with all the words fitting in nice, even columns, and articles coming to a conclusion just as they run out of space. This is a gross deception because every story has loads of worthy but unused material, and dozens if not hundred of loose ends that will likely never get followed up. Just as many stories never get covered or told, even the ones that do are incomplete snapshots.
Readers can always pursue with their own research, of course, but I can't remember hearing about any that did. Still, it might be a good idea because, even though there's supposedly nothing new under the sun, what I find is really new is a deeper understanding of what was previously thought to be…

Organizing with ISA88
The history and basic details of batch methods and the ISA-88 standard are detailed in the online version of this classic article, "Organizing batch process control" by Bill Hawkins, published in the May/June 2012 issue of…

When you go digital/virtual, many things vanish, even if they're still running.

Most publications and even websites maintain a pretty tidy appearance with all the words fitting in nice, even columns, and articles coming to a conclusion just as they run out of space. This is a gross deception because every story has loads of worthy but unused material, and dozens if not hundred of loose ends that will likely never get followed up. Just as many stories never get covered or told, even the ones that do are incomplete snapshots.
Readers can always pursue with their own research, of course, but I can't remember hearing about any that did. Still, it might be a good idea because, even though there's supposedly nothing new under the sun, what I find is really new is a deeper understanding of what was previously thought to be…

System integrator Hallam-ICS uses risk assessments, methodical attention to detail, process automation, IEC 61511-1 and other strategies to make sure its toxic gas monitoring systems (TGMS) are safe for its users.

Microprocessors may look like tiny, fragile bits of plastic and metal—at least until they power up and run software. However, they and their many layers, circuits, substrates and coatings are born in processes using severely toxic gases and…

Industry 4.0 eases interactions between humans and technology by providing information at all industrial plant levels. Persons or tools can access process sensors or final element information (such as measured value or configuration settings, etc.) from any part of the world if authorized to do so. Among other things, this allows device- and system-performance optimization though delivery of remote services for maintenance and upgrades or repair from a remote location via the “cloud.”
This concept assumes that “smart devices” will communicate with neighboring devices to optimize their own performance based on information about surrounding conditions, e.g., a flow transmitter autonomously compensates its measured value with data…

Recognize aggressive media and know how to specify materials of construction.

Greg: Here we enjoy some war stories on material selection by Hunter Vegas, senior project manager at Wunderlich-Malec Engineering in Greensboro, N.C., a cofounder and key resource of the ISA Mentor Program revitalized by the Nov. 16, 2015, Control…

Even a digital/virtual world has tangible assets that need physical protection—and that means boxes.

206 NEW MODELS IN 15 CATEGORIESHubbell-Wiegmann metallic and non-metallic enclosures have added 206 new enclosures in 15 categories, including disconnect, pushbutton, padlocking, keylocking, floor-mount, freestanding and stainless steel enclosures; consoles/consolets; and enclosures with knockouts. Single-door freestanding enclosures with smaller removable hinge pins are now available. Multiple, short hinge pins make it possible to remove doors without high ceilings. In all, the line now includes more than 2,200 enclosures.
Automationdirect
CASE SYSTEM FOR EXTREME SETTINGSEnvironmental case system (ECS) employs a two-piece, sealed solution that achieves IP66, IP67, and NEMA 6 ratings with a latch or screw-locking method. ECS has integrated…

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